If you’re in the market looking for a new mountain bike helmet, you may have noticed that many of them come equipped with visors. Mountain bike helmets with visors are becoming increasingly popular, but you may be wondering why.
Here’s a look at a few reasons why mountain bike helmets with visors can be beneficial.
Keep reading to find out!
Why Do Mountain Bike Helmets Have Visors?
Mountain biking is a thrilling sport that takes you off the beaten path and into nature. Whether you’re hitting the trails or taking on some backwoods terrain, it’s important to be prepared for anything.
That’s where a mountain bike helmet with a visor comes in handy. A visor can protect your eyes from the sun, rain, and other extreme weather conditions. It also helps to keep away the trail branches and mud out of your eyes while you’re riding, which can help you stay safe and focused on the trail ahead.
Moreover, visors serve as a biking accessory, enabling you to ride in style. It can be a form of self-expression, as you can choose a color and design that reflects your personality. We’ll now elaborate on a few points to support our case, so keep reading.
Knock Branches Away
When you are out there riding in the wilderness, odd branches can come in your way. Also, it’s nothing but unsafe to take your hands off the bike handles while pacing through narrow tracks at high speed.
That’s why helmet visors are essential, as they can save you from such injuries. So, if you can’t duck a pointy overhanging branch, the visor can break the momentum and prevent it from hitting you with force.
Help With Sun Protection
The sun’s glare can be blinding on some days, especially during sunny afternoons, depending on your riding location. And while it may seem safe to go without a visor in a dense forest during winter, you never know when the greenery might become sparse, exposing you to the sun.
Hence, we suggest keeping a helmet visor handy for added safety, especially if you are going to unexplored territory. It will block the sun rays from hitting your eyes during noon or just before sunset, allowing you to have a much better view of the riding trail. Not only will it keep you safe from toppling over, but it will also make your journey more pleasant.
Shield From Muddy/Rainy Conditions
Fast-moving tires can flick up mud or sand, which can easily slide off instead of sticking in your eyes if you’re donning a helmet visor. It becomes even more important if you are out in a group and there are other people riding ahead of you.
And needless to say, even a little dust in your eyes can spoil the rest of your journey, so it’s prudent to get your visor in place beforehand. Moreover, rainfall, especially in the direction of your movement, can be a menace. Much like sun protection, the visor can also save you from the trickling droplets.
It’s A Style Thing
Well, truth be told, along with weather protection, visors add to your drip and make you look cool while riding. It adds an edge to your dome-shaped helmet, making it look like a trendy Breton or baseball hat, so don’t sit on the fence and get one for yourself right away.
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Types Of MTB Helmets Visors
If you decide to buy an MTB helmet visor, we advise getting acquainted with all the major style categories to choose the most suitable one. To simplify things for you, we have listed the types here, so have a look:
Built-In Visor
Built-in visors come pre-attached with the helmet and aren’t that big, giving you a long view and a wide peripheral vision. It is smaller than the other types and reaches only halfway through the face.
While this type is good for a clearer vision, it isn’t the best choice for glare reduction or weather protection. So, if you want a visor strictly for clear weather with no direct sunlight, this one is your best bet.
Removable Visor
Another type of helmet visor is the removable one, which can be slapped on or detached at your convenience. Although available in diverse sizes and shapes, it is typically much broader than the previous type, which makes it suitable for use in extreme weather.
However, one major drawback is that it can cause injury if you fall down or meet with an accident due to its large size.
Can You Add A Visor To A Mountain Bike Helmet?
Yes, you can add a flexible visor to your mountain bike helmet pretty easily, as most come with velcro or a self-adhesive. They are detachable and are of two types – snap-on or screw-on.
The former needs to be snapped thrice to attach to the helmet, and the latter can be screwed in with its nut, allowing some up and down movement. These detachable visors have an average length of three inches and are generally longer than the standard type.
How Long Are MTB Bike Helmet Visor Good for?
While sturdy MTB visors can last for years on end, cheap ones can shatter in crashes or degrade due to prolonged exposure to the sun. So, the lifespan of your model mainly depends on its material and your usage frequency.
Typically, a robust visor stays in good condition for two to three years, but if you go for a low-quality material, it can give away within six months. Also, if you are a fast rider, you are more prone to falling and shattering your visor.
Furthermore, it depends on the weather, as a rubber visor might lose its shape in chronic direct heat.
Final Words
A BMT visor is crucial to enhance your vision while biking, and you should consider buying one.
That said, it’s a wrap on this guide, but before leaving, we have a final piece of advice – try on visors of different sizes before buying. Only then you’ll be able to judge which provides the best vision.
Until next time!
